The Hiding Spot
by Tzadikim
Summary: "We are all going to die." When the Romans were introduced to Capture the Flag, and no one warned them about the Hunters. No spoilers for MoA.


**AN: I needed to write something happy after reading Mark of Athena. There is a reference to my other fic, Sitting in a Tree.**

**Just a quick edit done, and the killer teddy bears are featured in my other aforementioned fic. **

**Please leave a review if added to your favorites. One question, too: Why does everyone love this? **

**Disclaimer:** Last time I checked I am a female brunette. Nice try, but I know that I'm not Rick Riordan.

**Title**: The Hiding Spot

**Word Count**: 970

**Summary**: "We are all going to die." When the Romans were introduced to Capture the Flag no one warned them about the Hunters. No spoilers for MoA.

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**Alternatively known as the Fortress of Male Cowardliness in Zadi's head**

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There were many kinds of real terror.

There was the Saving-the-World terror, My-Girlfriend-Has-A-Knife terror, and the Gods-Are-Out-To-Get-Me terror, and many more kinds that would put the fear of anything in even a god's heart. Camp Jupiter had the belief that they experienced most kinds and came out alright and alive. Sure they saved the world a few times with the help of Camp Half-Blood, and after the war it was the nicer kinds of terror.

Then they had a joint Capture the Flag game. With the Hunters. Girls against boys.

That terror invoked five different kinds and the urge to buy a restraining order.

Percy was in his super-secret hiding spot. It was a cramped area where an entrance to the Labyrinth used to be. It was small, held a city of spiders, and was making the hero feel light-headed. Yet it was either go out there and go against his girlfriend in battle, or to face claustrophobia.

He wisely chose claustrophobia. And the spiders would keep away Annabeth from taking him as prisoner. The sounds outside were ripe with battle cries, James Bond oneliners, and the screams of terrified boys as they ran for their lives. Percy thought that someone warned Camp Jupiter about the Huntresses, but it apparently slipped everyone's mind.

Whoops.

The ground shook underneath his feet, and Percy got Riptide out. He raised his sword as a hole opened and…a gopher stuck its head out, sniffing the air. Percy frowned and lowered his sword.

"Sorry, little guy," he said. The gopher turned to glare at him with its cute eyes.

It scurried up to Percy, glowering. Then it changed to a sullen-looking Frank.

"Who you calling 'little'?" An arrow was sticking out of his helmet like an antenna.

"I think I like you better as a cute, woodland creature," Percy commented lightly. He pointed at the arrow. "Does that give you cable, as well?"

Frank groaned and pulled it out. "They're out for blood."

"No, really?"

"Can I hide here?"

Percy was about to say no when a loud bang echoed nearby. Both descendants of Poseidon raised their weapons of choice when a crack of light entered the cave.

Percy shielded his eyes from the blinding light and waited for Annabeth to lunge at him.

"Is this the Fortress of Male Cowardliness?" Jason asked. Patches of his armor were covered with soot and dirt from the explosion he made. A nasty cut was over his left eye.

Percy sighed and threw his hands up in the air. "Fine. You can both hide with me."

His cousin gave him a thumbs up and joined them.

"Who gave you that?" Frank asked about the cut. "Looks like someone knew what they were doing."

"Piper," Jason explained dejectedly. "Your girlfriend's been giving her lessons. Therefore, I blame you," he added to Percy.

"Anytime," said Percy. "Don't forget to send me a gift basket."

They waited in awkward silence for a moment. Any sparse conversation went like this:

"Girls."

"I know."

"Scary."

"Let's not do this again."

"Tell me about it."

"We are all going to die."

Percy and Jason looked forlornly at Frank. "Dude, you're suppose to be the optimistic one."

"I am," he said. "This could be swifter than the time we did something like this for War Games."

Jason nodded solemnly. "It was a dark and bloody day for Rome."

"What happened?" Percy was curious about the aftermath.

"Reyna had complete control over the Bath House," Jason paled at the memory. "I had makeup and perfume stuck on me for a month."

"Everything did smelled nicer afterwards," Frank added.

More screams were overhead, and then Leo stumbled inside. His hair looked as though he stuck his finger in an outlet. Columns of smoke rose from his head.

They all sad words of greeting: "Leo!" "You're not dead!" "Your hair is on fire!"

"Your sister is out to get me," he told Jason as he patted his hair down. The little flames died off. His tool belt was covered with scratches of some kind. "I need to hide. With you guys."

"There's safety in numbers," Jason pointed out. "We got two children of The Big Three, a shapeshifter, and a pyrokinetic. What's the worst that can happen?"

"Annabeth and Reyna could set a trap, Piper could lure us out, Thalia could fry us, and Hazel could make this cave collapse."

Frank obviously was not thinking positive that day.

"Is this where everyone's hiding?" Nico asked quietly, peering from behind Percy. He must have Shadow Traveled inside. "The rock nymphs have been cooing nonstop that they're keeping all of these big, strong heroes safe."

"We have allies," Percy sighed. "Thank the gods!"

"They think we're cowards." Frank and Jason shared a dejected look. Their Roman honor would never let them live this down.

"They think I'm strong," Leo said with a smile. "Awesome. I can deal with that. Hey, Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"I ran into Malcolm and he said something about this being worst than the time with the killer teddy bears. Care to elaborate?"


End file.
